Updates, advisories and surprises

(6:34 PM ET) SYDNEY (MarketWatch) -- Macquarie Group Ltd.(AU:MQG)
MQBNK
said Friday that its first-half net profit fell 24% to 305 million Australian dollars ($326.7 million) in an environment of heightened global-market uncertainty. Results from annuity-style businesses partly offset significantly lower results from businesses facing capital markets, the firm said. Assets under management rose 6% from March 31 to A$327 billion. The investment bank added that it plans buy back up to 10% of its shares on the market. "Uncertain market conditions make short-term forecasting very difficult," according to Macquarie. If market conditions are unchanged, the group expects that its full-year 2012 result will be lower than its 2011 result. If markets recover to levels seen in the first half of 2011, then it expects a result broadly in line with fiscal 2011 result.

MetLife profit soars on derivative gains

(5:29 PM ET) SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Life insurance provider MetLife Inc.
MET, -0.57%
citing $2.7 billion in derivative gains, reported late Thursday third-quarter net profit soared 10-fold to $3.58 billion, or $3.33 a share, from $316 million, or 32 cents a share, a year ago. Operating profit, which excludes some investments items, rose 23% to $1.18 billion, or $1.11 a share, from $958 million, or $1.08, a year ago. Revenue for the quarter rose to $20.46 billion from $12.34 billion. Analysts polled by FactSet Research, citing operating results, expected the New York-based company would earn $1.05 a share on $16.56 billion in revenue. Metlife shares were up $1.9% at $36.36 in after-hours trade. The stock is down 11% over the past 12 months.

NCR Q3 profit falls as sales rise; lifts FY11 view

(4:42 PM ET) LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- NCR Corp.
NCR, -2.64%
late Thursday said third-quarter net earnings from continuing operations were $16 million, or 10 cents a share, compared with $78 million, or 48 cents a share, a year ago. Total revenue at NCR, which makes point-of-sale and other transaction systems, rose to $1.4 billion from $1.21 billion a year ago. Adjusted earnings for the most recent period were 53 cents a share. Analysts polled by FactSet Research had expected earnings of 47 cents a share on $1.36 billion in revenue. The company raised its 2011 adjusted earnings forecast and now expects $1.79 to $1.83 a share. NCR previously expected $1.73 to $1.80 a share. Wall Street currently expects $1.81 a share.

Expedia earnings rise almost 19%

(4:33 PM ET) SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Expedia Inc.
EXPE, -2.08%
on Thursday reported a fiscal third-quarter profit of $209.5 million, or 75 cents a share, on $1.14 billion in revenue. During the same period a year ago, the online travel-booking site earned $176.6 million, or 62 cents a share, on sales of $987.9 million. Analysts surveyed by FactSet Research had forecast Expedia to earn 73 cents a share on $1.16 billion in revenue. The company said its gross bookings during the quarter rose 11% from a year ago, led by international bookings of $3 billion.

KLA- Tencor earnings jump 25% in first quarter

(4:32 PM ET) SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- KLA-Tencor Corp. reported a 25% gain in earnings for the first fiscal quarter on Thursday afternoon. For the period ended Sept. 30, KLA-Tencor
KLAC, -6.55%
said net income was $192 million, or $1.13 per share, compared to net income of $154 million, or 91 cents a share, for the same period the previous year. On a non-GAAP basis, earnings came in at $198 million, or $1.17 per share, for the recent period. Revenue rose nearly 17% to $796 million. Analysts were expecting earnings of $1.17 per share on revenue of $796 million, according to consensus estimates from FactSet Research.

Slight profit slip for QLogic

(4:25 PM ET) CHICAGO (MarketWatch) -- Sales increases across all its product lines couldn't keep QLogic from a slight profit slip in the fiscal second quarter, but the company still managed to match Wall Street's expectations. QLogic earned $28.7 million, or 28 cents a share, on the period, down from $30 million, or 28 cents a share, in the same quarter a year ago. On an adjusted basis, it would have earned 34 cents a share. Revenue rose 2.5% to $150.2 million. The average estimate of analysts polled by FactSet Research had been for the company to earn 34 cents a share on revenue of $150.5 million. Shares of QLogic
QLGC, +0.12%
were flat in after-hours trading.

PMC-Sierra profit triples to edge past estimates

(4:23 PM ET) WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- PMC-Sierra
PMCS
said its third-quarter ending Oct. 2 net profit more than tripled to $47.3 million, or 20 cents a share, as revenue rose 7% to $173.3 million and as the company recorded a $29.4 million gain on a liability for contingent consideration. Excluding one-time items, the Sunnyvale, Calif. semiconductor company would've earned 18 cents a share, compared to a FactSet-compiled analyst estimate of 17 cents a share on sales of $175.7 million.

Motorola Mobility revenues, smartphone sales up

(4:22 PM ET) SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. reported an 11% gain in revenue for the third quarter as smartphone shipments hit 4.8 million. For the quarter ended Oct. 1, Motorola
MMI, -1.31%
reported a net loss of $32 million, or 11 cents per share, compared to a net loss of $34 million, or 12 cents per share, for the same period the previous year. Earnings on an adjusted basis were $35 million, or 12 cents per share, for the recent period. Total revenue was $3.3 billion. The company, which is in the process of being acquired by Google Inc.
GOOG, -3.91%
also noted that sales of its Xoom tablet were just 100,000 units for the quarter, down from 440,000 units in the second quarter.

Coinstar earnings climb 90%

(4:15 PM ET) SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Coinstar Inc.
CSTR, -1.91%
on Thursday reported a fiscal third-quarter profit of $37.1 million, or $1.18 a share, on $465.6 million in sales, compared to earnings of $19.5 million, or 60 cents a share, on revenue of $380 million in the same period a year ago. Analysts surveyed by FactSet Research had forecast the operator of Coinstar and Redbox kiosks to earn 88 cents a share on $462.6 million in revenue. For its fiscal fourth quarter, Coinstar said it expects to earn between 57 cents and 67 cents a share on revenue in a range of $485 million and $510 million. The company also said it would raise the price of renting a DVD from Redbox to $1.20 a day from $1 a day, effective Oct. 31.

Las Vegas Sands profit doubles

(4:14 PM ET) CHICAGO (MarketWatch) -- Brisk growth in Singapore and Macau, along with a steady rebound in its home town helped Las Vegas Sands better than double its third-quarter profit, the casino operator said Thursday. Sands
LVS, -0.13%
earned $353.6 million, or 44 cents a share, on the period, vs. $168 million, or 21 cents a share, in the same quarter a year ago.On an adjusted basis, the company would have earned 55 cents a share, up from 34 cents. Revenue jumped more than 26% to a record $2.41 billion. The average estimate of analysts polled by FactSet Research had been for the company to earn 52 cents a share on revenue of $2.34 billion. "Strong revenue growth and margin expansion at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore and our portfolio of properties in Macau and the United States contributed to excellent financial performance overall," the company said in the earnings report.

EA beats forecasts with adjusted earnings

(4:02 PM ET) SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Electronic Arts Inc. reported a deeper net loss for the second fiscal quarter on Thursday afternoon, though earnings and revenue on an adjusted basis beat Wall Street's targets for the period. For the quarter ended Sept. 30, EA
ERTS
reported a net loss of $340 million, or $1.03 per share, compared with a net loss of $201 million or 61 cents per share for the same period last year. On an adjusted basis, earnings would have been $17 million, or 5 cents a share, for the recent period. Revenue was $715 million, or $1.03 billion on an adjusted basis. Analysts were expecting an adjusted net loss of 5 cents a share on revenue of $964.8 million, according to consensus forecasts from Thomson Reuters.

Renault sales jump almost 12%

(12:26 PM ET) CHICAGO (MarketWatch) -- French car maker Renault said Wednesday that its third-quarter revenue jumped nearly 12% to 9.75 billion euros ($13.86 billion), largely with the help of sales outside of its home market in Western Europe. Automotive revenue was up 12% while the company set a record of 632,412 units sold, an increase of 6.7%, driven by growth in markets such as Brazil and Russia. Global market growth over the same period was just 3.7%. "Following the supply constraints that impacted sales activity in the first half and the start of the third quarter, the [company] was in a position to deliver vehicles to customers, particularly those with diesel engines that had built up in the order book in Europe," Renault(FR:RNO)said as it also "continued its offensive outside Europe, with sales growth outstripping the market."

Profit margins being squeezed at Colgate

(11:28 AM ET) SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Profit margins at toothpaste maker Colgate-Palmolive
CL, +1.85%
are being squeezed. Colgate, which Thursday posted a 4% rise in third-quarter profit, widened its forecast for its gross margin to decline. It forecast a hit of 150 to 170 basis points for 2011. That compares to its July estimate for gross margin to fall 80 to 100 basis from 2010. During the quarter ended Sept. 30, Colgate's gross margin was 56.2%, compared with 59.4% in the same 2010 period. Colgate is hiking prices for its namesake toothpaste and toothbrushes to counter higher commodity costs. Prices companywide rose 2% in the third quarter. Colgate shares inched up 0.3% to $90.80 in late morning trades.

Chrysler swings to profit as car sales perk up

(11:25 AM ET) SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Chrysler Group LLC on Thursday posted a third-quarter profit of $212 million, reversing a loss from a year ago of $84 million. Revenue rose 19% to $13.1 billion, driven by an increased appetite for the car maker's 16 all-new or updated vehicles. The report from Chrysler, which is controlled by Italy's Fiat, follows closely on the heels of the ratification of a labor agreement covering 26,000 U.S. hourly workers. The deal includes plans to invest an additional $1.3 billion toward the production of new cars and trucks and the potential for 2,100 new jobs. "Together with the United Auto Workers, we crafted a solid four-year contract that will support us in our growth plans and significantly reward our employees for their contribution to the revival of Chrysler," said Chairman and CEO Sergio Marchionne.

Dow Chemical jumps 6% on stronger earnings

(10:36 AM ET) SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Dow Chemical Co.
DOW, +0.15%
shares rallied 6% to $28.42 early Thursday, joining in the broader-market surge after the chemicals giant reported double-digit gains in profit and sales in the third quarter. The stock is still down 17% year to date. Fellow chemical company DuPont
DD, -2.73%
was one of the best performers on the Dow Jones Industrial Average
DJIA, -1.16%
with its shares up more than 4% to $48.09. Earlier this week, DuPont also posted improved quarterly numbers while offering an upbeat outlook for the year.

LogMeIn shares jump as results beat targets

(10:19 AM ET) SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Shares of LogMeIn Inc.
LOGM, -1.42%
jumped more than 11% to $39.83 early Thursday morning after the maker of cloud-computing software reported better-than-expected results for the third quarter. John DiFucci of J.P. Morgan noted that the company also announced a new focus on data storage and backup services, which "represents a potentially large future market opportunity for LogMeIn."

Logitech shares rise 17% after earnings report

(10:15 AM ET) SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Logitech International
LOGI, -0.48%
on Thursday saw its shares climb $1.48, or more than 16%, to $10.40 after the maker of computer peripheral products reported second-quarter results and gave a full-year forecast that exceeded analysts estimates. Logitech said that for the quarter ended September 30, it earned $17 million, or 10 cents a share, on revenue of $589 million, compared with earnings of $41 million, or 23 cents a share, on $582 million in sales a year ago. For its full fiscal year, Logitech said it expects to report sales of $2.4 billion, slightly above the $2.38 billion forecast from analysts surveyed by FactSet Research.

Owens-Illinois shares up 8% on strong earnings

(10:05 AM ET) SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Shares of Owens-Illinois Inc.
OI, -1.40%
jumped 7.7% early Thursday after the world's largest glass container manufacturer beat per-share earnings expectations late Wednesday. The company reported adjusted net earnings rose to $139 million, or 84 cents a share, compared with $136 million, or 83 cents a share, a year ago. Analysts polled by FactSet had been expecting earnings of 72 cents a share. At last check, Owens-Illinois shares added $1.48 to trade at $20.94 a share.

BMC Software shares fall as outlook is reduced

(10:04 AM ET) SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Shares of BMC Software
BMC, -2.00%
fell nearly 14% to $33.24 in early trades on Thursday after the software maker reported a decline in net income for the second fiscal quarter and lowered its earnings forecast for the current fiscal year. In a conference call Wednesday afternoon, BMC executives blamed the shortfall on a mix of "external factors" related to the softening economy, as well as some internal execution issues. "In our view, this will probably discourage any investors who thought BMC might be a relatively attractive way to play cloud computing," J.P. Morgan analyst John DiFucci wrote in a note to clients Thursday morning, maintaining his underweight rating on the stock.

Novellus Systems shares climb 12%

(10:02 AM ET) SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Novellus Systems Inc. [s nvls] shares rose $4, or more than 12%, to $36.57 Thursday following the chip-equipment maker's fiscal third-quarter report. Late Wednesday, Novellus reported a 33% drop in its quarterly earnings, but its results still surpassed those of Wall Street analysts.

Ameriprise shares jump 14% to lead financials

(10:00 AM ET) SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Ameriprise Financial Inc.
AMP, -0.60%
shares jumped more than 14% to $48.95 early Thursday, leading financial gainers in the S&P 500 Index
SPX, -1.35%
after the company posted lower earnings a day earlier. A price target bump from Sterne, Agee & Leach, which cited better buybacks and a strong capital position, along with a big rally in the broader market that was sparked by a debt deal in Europe, helped drive gains. The stock is still down 15% since the beginning of the year.

Johnson Controls shares up as revenue, profit beat

(9:20 AM ET) NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Shares of Johnson Controls
JCI, -0.41%
a maker of climate systems and automotive parts, rose 2.6% in pre-market trades on Thursday. The company's fourth-quarter earnings of 78 cents a share beat the analyst estimate of 76 cents a share in a survey by FactSet Research. The company's revenue of $10.79 billion surpassed the target of $10.6 billion.

Coke to buy bottler Great Plans for $360 mln

(9:19 AM ET) TEL AVIV (MarketWatch) -- Coca-Cola Co.,
KO, +0.26%
the Atlanta soft-drink firm, agreed to pay $360 million for Great Plains Coca-Cola Bottling Co., the fifth-largest independent U.S. bottler of the drinks. In a Thursday statement, Great Plains said the family-owned firm, based in Oklahoma City, has territories in Oklahoma and Arkansas. Subject to conditions including regulatory clearances, the deal should close in 2011, Great Plains said. The company employs 1,200 people at two production and seven distribution facilities.

Royal Caribbean net up; outlook hit by forex

(9:06 AM ET) TEL AVIV (MarketWatch) -- Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.,
RCL, +0.14%
the Miami operator of cruise vacations, reported third-quarter net income rose 14% on 13% higher revenue, and it cut its full-year outlook. Earnings reached $399 million, or $1.82 a share, from $350.2 million, or $1.61, in the year-earlier quarter. Included in the latest earnings per share is an 8-cent charge to mark the company's fuel-option portfolio to market. Revenue rose to $2.32 billion from $2.06 billion. A survey of analysts by FactSet Research produced consensus estimates of $1.88 a share of profit on revenue of $2.29 billion. The company now expects to earn $2.70 to $2.80 a share in 2011. The estimate is down 15 cents from the previous estimate due to a stronger U.S. dollar and the fuel-option revaluation. FactSet's survey was looking for $2.83. Early in the booking cycle for 2012, demand has so far been "solid," Royal Caribbean said in a Thursday statement.

Exxon Mobil profit climbs 41%, sets $5 bln buyback

(8:27 AM ET) NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Exxon Mobil Corp.
XOM, -0.84%
said Thursday its third-quarter profit rose 41% to $10.33 billion, or $2.13 a share, from $7.35 billion, or $1.44 a share, in the year-ago period, as the oil major benefitted from higher crude prices. Wall Street analysts expected Exxon to earn $2.12 a share, according to a survey by FactSet Research. Capital spending fell 2% to $8.62 billion, but the Irving, Texas-based company noted it has spent a record $26.7 billion so far in 2011. Exxon bought back $5 billion in stock in the third quarter and plans to buy back another $5 billion in the fourth quarter. Exxon's oil-equivalent production fell 4% during the quarter.

Waste Management 3rd-period net up 11%

(8:00 AM ET) TEL AVIV (MarketWatch) -- Waste Management Inc.,
WM, +0.49%
the Houston provider of waste-management services, reported third-quarter net income rose 11% on 8.9% higher revenue. Earnings reached $272 million, or 58 cents a share, from $244 million, or 51 cents, in the year-earlier quarter. Adjusted earnings per share were 63 cents versus 55 cents. Revenue rose to $3.52 billion from $3.24 billion. A survey of analysts by FactSet Research produced consensus estimates of 61 cents of profit on $3.41 billion of revenue. The company affirmed that it would earn $2.14 to $2.18 a share in the full year; FactSet is looking for $2.15.

Goodrich profit climbs 25% in third quarter

(7:58 AM ET) WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- Goodrich Corp.
GR, +0.00%
said Thursday its third-quarter earnings rose to $201.1 million, or $1.57 a share, from $160.2 million, or $1.25 a share, in the year-ago period. Sales climbed 16% to $2 billion. Excluding merger costs, the Charlotte, N.C.-based aerospace company said it earned $1.70 a share in the most recent quarter, while analysts surveyed by FactSet Research were looking for earnings of $1.51 a share, on average. For the full year, Goodrich raised the lower end of its profit outlook to a range of $5.90 to $6 a share, from a prior view of $5.85 to $6 a share. Goodrich shares had yet to trade premarket. In early September, the firm agreed to be acquired by United Technologies Corp.
UTX, -0.76%
for $16.5 billion.

Bristol-Myers profit rises

(7:52 AM ET) NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.
BMY, -0.53%
said on Thursday that its third-quarter profit rose to $969 million, or 56 cents a share, compared to $949 million, or 55 cents a share a year ago. Adjusted earnings per share were 61 cents versus 59 cents a year ago. Net sales rose to $5.35 billion from $4.80 billion a year ago. Analysts polled by FactSet Research had expected the firm to earn 58 cents a share on revenue of $5.29 billion.

Colgate-Palmolive net up; margins off, pricing up

(7:42 AM ET) TEL AVIV (MarketWatch) -- Colgate-Palmolive Co.,
CL, +1.85%
the New York consumer-products company, reported third-quarter net income rose 3.9% on 11% higher revenue. Profit reached $643 million, or $1.31 a share, from $619 million, or $1.21, in the year-earlier period. Revenue rose to $4.38 billion from $3.94 billion. A survey of analysts by FactSet Research produced a consensus estimate of $1.30 a share of profit on $4.36 billion of revenue. Gross-profit margin narrowed to 56.2% from 59.4%. Pricing rose 2%, CL said in a Thursday statement. Given higher costs, the company expects gross margin for the year to narrow 1.5 to 1.7 percentage points, said Ian Cook, chairman, president and chief executive. Colgate-Palmolive aims "to return to double-digit earnings-per-share growth in 2012," he said.

Altria profit up 3.7%, trims view on cost cut plan

(7:31 AM ET) NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Altria Group Inc.
MO, -0.21%
said Thursday its third-quarter profit rose 3.7% to $1.17 billion, or 57 cents a share, from $1.13 billion, or 54 cents a share, in the year-ago period. Altria said its adjusted profit totaled 56 cents a share. Revenue at the tobacco firm fell 4.6% to $6.1 billion. Wall Street analysts expected the company to earn 56 cents a share, according to a survey by FactSet Research. Altria said it'll take a fourth-quarter charge of 11 cents a share for a cost-cutting program that's expected to save the company $400 million a year by 2013. It also OK'd plans to buy back another $1 billion in stock. Looking ahead, Altria cut its 2011 profit estimate to a range of $1.60 to $1.66 from its earlier view of $1.70 to $1.76, mostly because of expenses tied to its cost-cutting program.

Cardinal Health first-quarter profit falls

(7:30 AM ET) NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Cardinal Health Inc. said on Thursday that its first quarter profit for the period ended September 30 fell to $236.8 million, or 68 cents a share, from $294.8 million, or 84 cents a share a year ago. Earnings on an adjusted basis for the latest quarter were 73 cents a share. Revenue grew 10% to $26.79 billion from $24.44 billion a year ago. Analysts polled by FactSet Research had expected the company to earn 72 cents a share on revenue of $26.78 billion.

(7:27 AM ET) NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Raytheon Co.
RTN, +0.46%
said Thursday its third-quarter earnings fell to $501 million, or $1.43 a share, from $728 million, or $1.94 a share, in the year-ago period. Sales slipped to $6.13 billion from $6.27 billion. On an adjusted basis, the Waltham, Mass.-based military contractor said it earned $1.39 a share. Analysts surveyed by FactSet Research were looking for earnings of $1.33 a share in the latest period, on average. For the year, Raytheon lifted the lower end of its adjusted earnings outlook to $5.55 to $5.65 a share, from a prior view of $5.50 to $5.65 a share. Raytheon shares had yet to trade premarket.

(6:17 AM ET) TEL AVIV (MarketWatch) -- Aetna Inc.,
AET, -0.65%
the Hartford insurer, reported third-quarter net income fell 1.4% and operating earnings per share rose 40% on 0.8% lower revenue. Earnings slipped to $490.4 million from $497.6 million in the year-earlier period. Net per share rose to $1.30 from $1.19 as shares outstandng fell 10% to 376.8 million. Operating earnings were $1.40 a share versus $1. Revenue slipped to $7.83 billion from $7.89 billion. A survey of analysts by FactSet Research produced consensus estimates of $1.15 a share of profit on $8.28 billion of revenue.

Elan swings to profit; Tysabri sales up 25%

(3:23 AM ET) TEL AVIV (MarketWatch) -- Elan Corp.,
ELN, +11.11%
(IE:DRX)the Dublin drug maker, swung to a third-quarter profit from a year-earlier loss on 17% higher revenue, and it affirmed its outlook for the full year. Earnings were $674.1 million, or $1.13 a share, compared with a loss of $47.8 million, or 8 cents a share, in the year-earlier period. The current profit figure includes a gain of $657.1 million on the sale of EDT. Revenue reached $323 million from $278.3 million. Revenue was driven by a 28% increase in sales of the multiple-sclerosis medication Tysabri, while operating expense fell 10%, Chief Financial Officer Nigel Clerkin said in a Thursday statement.

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